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Campus Cycles owners Mark Velat and Bobby Verenna grew up in the cycling world. Mark has been riding and racing for more than 30 years now, and Bobby broke into the retail end back in sixth grade. At their shop, patrons reap the rewards of their expertise when shopping from shelves of sturdy bikes and gear from brands such as Giant, Cannondale, and Electra, in addition to children's two-wheelers and tricycles.
Their service department’s technicians recalibrate bikes with tune-ups, and fit specialists match individuals with the ideal cycle. Patrons can also visit on demo days when big-name manufacturers show off their latest products and let riders take them out for test-drives on nearby mountain trails or paved roads. Meanwhile, the store's Get to Know Your Bike classes give riders basic repair and maintenance skills so they can remedy minor damage incurred when tires pop on fiberglass banana peels littering the road.

After achieving perhaps the pinnacle of success in the Irish dancing world—lead roles in _Lord of the Dance_—Aisling Toal Casey and Shaun Casey retired to Denver to open Celtic Steps School of Irish Dance to train the next generation of superb Irish step dancers. They've succeeded; the school's dancers have won awards from the All Ireland Championships, the North American Irish Dance Championships, and the Western Region Oireachtas. Aisling, Shaun, and fellow teacher Eimear Toal are all TCRG certified and instruct boys and girls aged 4–12, as well as adults, at locations throughout the area. They specialize in traditional Irish solo and ceili dancing and teach dancers important fundamentals, such as jig steps, dancing in unison, and how to dance without your wig of ringlets flying off. In addition to competing in championships, students also have performed on local television and in St. Patrick's Day parades.

Martial arts at Denver's Colorado Taekwondo Institute is a great workout that will leave you feeling Zen.
Looking for a bite to eat? This studio also has an awesome restaurant.
You won't need to get a sitter before heading to this studio — kids are more than welcome at this family-friendly establishment.
If you're inspired by MMA fighting on television, try one of these MMA classes.
Treat yourself to a cardio blast and kick and punch your way to your health and wellness goals.
Parking is plentiful, so patrons can feel free to bring their vehicles.

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Louise Connolly spent six years touring five continents with Lord of the Dance. For most of that time, the two-time Irish Dance World Champion from Dundalk, Ireland played the female leading role as Saoirse, the virtuous, white-frocked dancer who tries to save the hero from the temptations of pork rinds. As this epic production crisscrossed the globe, Louise became a cultural ambassador for Irish dance, to which she is now a certified teacher with the Irish Dance Commission in Dublin.
At her dance studio, both soft- and hard-shoe dance is taught to boys and girls, children and adults. Depending on the type of jig performed, students slip on lace-up ghillies or hard shoes with fiberglass tips and heels. While maintaining a statuesque torso, the dancers kick, tap, shuffle, and twirl in solo dances or céilí routines that contain up to 16 people. For toes that desire reward beyond the occasional jello soak, the studio can prepare them for competitions called feis, which judge choreography and execution at regional, national, and world levels.

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title: The Point Athletic Club
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html_text: For more than 30 years, The Point Athletic Club has been a hub for sports training and achieving fitness goals. An expert team of athletes and trainers collaborate to help clients navigate the facilities, which include an indoor running track, two six-lane pools, and a 35-foot climbing wall featuring a range of lead routes. Three indoor, climate-controlled tennis courts are open for free or league play, as well as lessons taught by two USPTA-certified tennis professionals. Two large weight rooms offer multiple options for circuits, while three hot tubs and spacious pool-side decks provide a space to rest sore muscles or use mind control to grow muscles. Group fitness classes
includes sessions in Pilates mat, swimming, indoor spin, and squash and raquetball
on five indoor courts.

As master black-belts with years of training in their field, Grand Master Hart and Master Lewis believe that one of the most effective paths to martial-arts training goes through individual attention. At 5280 Karate Academy, their team of black-belt and master-level instructors
work with students one-on-one as they delve into
training in a safe, non-competitive environment. Taekwondo and karate programs focus on building physical skills such as basic striking technique and self-defense as well as mental discipline and self-esteem. Once students become comfortable with the basics, coaches work with them to develop more personalized training programs designed to accommodate their individual fitness levels and willingness to punch a plank of wood in the face.

Groupon Guide

No matter what your age, getting fit can seem like a herculean task. And when you’re nearing the hill—or already over it—the challenges seem to stack up. Can you really lift the same amount of weight as a college-aged kid? If you don't yet feel fit enough to run, is walking good enough? Is there any point to just now starting a fitness regimen?The answers: yes, yes, and definitely. Exercise for women over 50 is a vital part of maintaining and possibly improving health. Hard though it may be, pretty much everyone is capable of working out. Take Mary Murphy, a 52-year-old dental assistant from Maryland who didn’t develop an regular exercise routine until later in life. “I’ve always enjoyed exercising but wasn’t as religious about doing it,” she said. “It was after I had [my third child] that I got pretty serious. I put him in the bouncy seat, and I started with doing the treadmill. First I was able to do 1 mile and I was so excited, then I was able to run 2, and then I did a 5K.” Over the course of a decade, Murphy gradually ramped up her fitness routine to where now she’s doing an intense workout four days week. And it’s paid off for her, just like it can benefit every other woman. Below, learn why fitness should be a vital component of middle-aged life and why forming a routine isn’t the impossible task you might think it is.Before You Get Started1. What to watch out forMurphy’s no fitness authority—she just read a lot and sought out experts to direct her to the best exercises for her body.“Because of my past injuries, I was told that running is not the best thing for me,” she said. “It’s very jarring on your body, all that pounding. That being said, I was also told that if you’re literally going to run or do nothing, then you should run. But it’s probably better for you to walk or ride a bike or swim.”Doctors, physical therapists, and personal trainers can advise you on working out without exacerbating existing medical conditions. For example, if you have joint problems, symptoms of osteoporosis, or any risk factors for heart disease, a physician should guide you toward exercises of lower impact or intensity.2. What to look forward toA consistent fitness program can lower your risk of suffering heart disease, diabetes, strokes, and osteoporosis. Some women also report that stress relief from exercise helps them manage menopause symptoms such as sleep problems and mood changes.It can help you strengthen bones and maintain a healthy weight, too. Working out is especially good for controlling the abdominal fat that can accumulate around menopause. Murphy uses her fitness regimen in part to maintain her slim figure—”I just really liked to eat,” she noted—and most recently added more weight training to help strengthen her bones.Once You Get MovingAny physical activity is good for you. But many health organizations recommend a three-pronged approach to exercise for women over 50:
1. AerobicsCardio exercise is Murphy’s bread and butter. “Would you be more excited to run a 5K or lift some weights? I feel like hitting a goal is very rewarding and makes you feel good about yourself and makes you keep going,” she said. “It’s probably harder to be like, ‘Oh, I’m going to lift 10 pounds or 15.’ How do you get the sense that you’ve reached [the goal] for satisfaction or reward?”She usually attends two intense 45-minute spinning classes a week. That’s more than what the Department of Health and Human Services expects for healthy adults: at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity a week. But you can more easily ramp up your aerobic exercise to get to the baseline and beyond by finding an activity you enjoy.Then, measure your level of activity with the “talk test”: moderate intensity should allow you to talk but not sing, whereas vigorous intensity should allow you to speak a few words but not carry on a conversation.2. Strength TrainingStrong muscles equal stronger bones and more calories burned. Murphy added BodyPump classes to her repertoire, hoping to see noticeable results faster.“It’s 10 songs,” she said. “Each song focuses on a large muscle group. It’s quads, chest, biceps, triceps; there’s one just for your legs and abdominals and back.”That activity lines up with HHS recommendations, which champions muscle-strengthening activities at least twice a week. For many women, a workout choreographed to music might be a good way to ease into the world of strength training. Or you can start at home, using handheld weights and body-weight exercises such as lunges, squats, and wall sits. Others might just want to venture into a gym and ask for assistance with equipment, form, repetition, and sets.3. StretchingTraditional stretching can help you cool down after exercise. But yoga and Pilates workouts offer additional benefits. They can improve flexibility and range of motion, build core strength (which can help relieve lower-back pain), and boost stability and balance (which can prevent falls in the future).Above all, find what you like and stick to it.
For Murphy, it’s attending weekly classes—with some workout buddies—that give her a sense of accomplishment. For you, maybe it’s walking the dog for a mile every day and practicing yoga. Do some research, take some classes, and find out what works best for you.Check out some related reads:Your Skin Is Mature, So Your Skin-Care Regimen Should Be, TooAging and hormone changes can mean wrinkles and, yes, adult acne. Lessen the effects of time with these skin-care tips for women over 50.Five Things I Learned from Pilates
For instance: did you know that there are bones in your butt?

Baseball, even when played at its highest level, is a deceptively simple sport. “The name of the game is to score runs,” explained Chicago White Sox hitting coach Todd Steverson (right) toward the beginning of our interview, and I couldn’t help but think: If only it were that easy. So, I pressed Steverson to break down his top batting tips for someone who doesn’t step up to the plate for a living. Incidentally, he also offered some fascinating observations about baseball's best power hitters—the Greenbergs and the Gehrigs—and the special skills that help them swing for the fences. Focus on Your Plate Recognition—Not Your SwingIf you’ve ever been made fun of for your—let’s call it unorthodox—swing, Steverson has some good news for you. “At some point, everybody develops a swing that they’re going to have pretty much for the rest of their life,” but your swing alone won’t prevent you from blossoming into a decent slugger. “Recognition is one of the bigger things in our game—recognition of a strike or a ball,” Steverson explains. Knowing when to swing is exponentially more important than tweaking how you swing. “It’s all about being able to recognize the pitch and make a good decision on it,” so focus on that first and foremost.Don’t Step Away from the Strike ZoneSteverson managed in the minors for four years and conducted a mini camp for White Sox prospects in 2014, so he’s familiar with the shortfalls of young and inexperienced players. “A lot of young players tend to step away from the pitcher,” he laments. “You want to step straight or slightly across [the plate], because that’s where everything happens.” For example, if you’re right-handed and stepping toward the shortstop during your swinging motion, the ball will be too far away to get a good swing on it. “You’ve got to learn how to get square to the plate and pack the strike zone instead of stepping away from it.”Great Hands Always Beat Big MusclesWhen I asked Steverson what kind of workouts help with hitting home runs, I could almost hear him sigh. “Power is kind of a gift, and not everybody’s got it. There’s nothing really specific that improves your power—you are who you are.” But what, exactly, is this so-called “gift” that power hitters possess? “Exceptional hands. Hands and angles,” Steverson explains. “Power hitters sort of lean into the baseball and put a lot of torque into their swings.”Don’t Try to Hit a Home RunBefore you pour one out for your power-hitting career, Steverson has some advice. However far you can hit the ball, the trick is to make contact with it in the first place. “I would say that 99% of power hitters don’t swing for home runs,” he explains. “They know they have the ability to do it, but it’s all about executing the swing on the right pitch. When guys do try to hit home runs, it normally doesn’t work out for them.” Let’s return, for a moment, to that earlier tip about plate recognition. Just because you can’t swing for the fences, there’s nothing stopping you from having a great at-bat. Hitting a nice single or even taking a walk are crucial plays in baseball, and somebody has to master them. “If the guy doesn’t throw any strikes and you take a walk, you give everybody an opportunity to score some runs.” So stop focusing on the outfield scoreboard and start paying more attention to that weird mole on the pitcher’s throwing hand.Practice Doesn’t Make Perfect, But It HelpsBaseball might be the only sport in which you can fail more than half the time and still be considered a success. Take that to heart, and remember that enough repetition can help you see the play before it even happens. “People discount the eyes a lot,” Steverson says, “but the eyes are one of the biggest keys to this whole thing. They send a message to the brain that tells you to shut it down or to keep it going,” and their timing gets better with practice. And timing is everything. After all, you only have 0.4 seconds to make a decision.Photos: 2015 Ron Vesely/Chicago White Sox

Trying to motivate your children to get off the couch? It can help to present them alternatives—kids’ sports or activities—that actually appeal to their interests and personalities. We’ve created a simple flowchart that should help you determine whether your kid will be more keen on, say, baseball or basketball, or a wildcard like bowling.